Whooosh—
Rumble—!!
Amid deafening blasts, flames erupted, spreading in an instant to consume the top floors of Konpeki Plaza. In the inferno that pierced the heavens, drones spun out of control, glass curtain walls shattered, and countless construction materials scattered and exploded... now and then, human figures screamed as they fell into the abyss below.
Reddish smoke pierced the clouds, as though tearing the sky apart.
Rolling and surging, it ignited the deep-night uproar of Night City.
Just like the turmoil that gripped the city itself.
...
In Watson District's Little China, a heavily modified six-wheeled Thorton Merrimac MSL3 armored sedan stopped at the Cartwright Street intersection.
All around, the embankment was crowded with bloodthirsty spectators, eager for chaos.
"Is it an Arasaka civil war or the FIA pulling tricks again?"
"Hell if I care! Burn, baby, burn!"
"Serves them right! Those corporate bastards had it coming! Die, all of you!"
"Dogs eating dogs. Best if they all croak. Hah, I bet tomorrow's Deadpool lottery's gonna be wild."
Hearing the jeers, Jackie Welles shook his head as he stepped out for some air.
These gutter rats were always happy to see corpo dogs suffer.
Well... so was he.
But that was then.
Now, as a man with stakes on one side, his feelings were... complicated.
"My girl, your company's civil wars are sure getting out of hand."
Clicking his tongue, Jackie raised his eyes northward. There, at the district border, Konpeki Plaza blazed like a torch. Flares, incendiaries, and tracer rounds streamed wildly across the sky, painting the heavens red.
Farther north, the Arasaka Coastal District, the Old Industrial Zone, and the new expansion areas had all descended into utter chaos.
Though his view was blocked by high walls, the constant thunder of artillery, the drone hums, and the fiery explosions rising beyond the skyline spoke volumes.
If this was a civil war—who would win? Who would fall?
Especially V's faction...
Jackie burned to know.
Unfortunately, V had been away on assignment.
Her external signal was set to temporary silence—no contact unless absolutely necessary.
As Jackie leaned against his beloved ride, lost in thought, a sudden uproar rippled through the crowd.
"Shit, shit, shit—it's collapsing!" someone shouted.
Jackie looked up.
A quarter of Konpeki Plaza's upper structure tilted amid the flames and explosions—bent, and then came crashing down!
Smoke and ash filled the sky.
Moments later, the delayed BOOM rolled through the streets.
"Joder!" Jackie cursed under his breath.
There went his night. No point trying to sneak in some romantic time with Misty now.
He turned back, climbed into his car, took a long swig of iced coffee, set the can in the holder, and started the engine. As the Merrimac roared to life, he began calling his crew and business partners, telling them to stay alert.
One call, two... seven, eight in total.
Then—ring, ring. Incoming transmission.
A corneal HUD popped up.
[Incoming Call: V — Encrypted]
"Hey, V! How you holding up?" Jackie answered immediately.
On the holo-screen appeared a sharp-eyed, red-haired woman—wild, confident, exuding danger. But now, her expression was tight with urgency.
[V]: I'm fine. For now. Listen, Jackie—HQ's issued orders. You're up.
"Huh, straight to business, chica?" Jackie chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. "Alright, hit me. What's the job? Target, location, objective."
[V]: You see Konpeki and the Coastal fires? Fine, I'll tell you—same deal as before, keep it buried. Internal Arasaka purge. Yorinobu Arasaka's teamed up with Militech and launched a coup. He's taken Saburo hostage. He and Commander Vela are done for good—no turning back.
"Holy shit—Saburo? That old fossil? What the hell's he doing in Night City?"
Jackie's eyes went wide in disbelief. "And Yorinobu kidnapped his own dad? The hell for? Gone full crown-prince rebellion, huh?"
V snorted coldly on the other end.
[V]: Hmph. A disgraced son's desperation. We can't let him take control. Listen closely—short version: mobilize your people. Send every hitter you've got to Westbrook. The Russell estate cannot fall. Yorinobu's gathered a mob of mercs and psychos in Night City. I need your crew to break their lines. Wait for my signal. I'm heading back now. If we want to rise up, this is it—our chance. Don't miss it.
Realizing the urgency—and the opportunity—Jackie nodded firmly.
Beep.
The call ended.
"Whew!"
One hand on the wheel, Jackie grabbed a Type-4 MaxDoc stimulant from the glovebox, took a drag, and felt his heart pound violently. Damn—interfering in the Arasaka family's bloody power struggle... just thinking about it made his blood race.
He pulled up his contact list.
"Hey, mamá, you seen the news? Yeah, don't worry about it. Stay home—don't go into the city."
"Misty, sorry, candlelight dinner's postponed... it's chaos out here. Crash at Vik's clinic tonight and keep yourself safe."
"Maine, it's me. Round up the crew, grab your gear—now. We've got work."
"Juan, hermano, big score on the table. You in or out?"
...
Westbrook District.
On the outskirts of a corporate residential zone—quiet, upscale, middle-class apartments.
A massive holo-billboard flickered mid-broadcast, abruptly switching to an emergency report:
"Breaking news—Night City may be under a coordinated and premeditated attack. Konpeki Plaza has partially collapsed. An anonymous source reports heavy-power armor engagements on-site. Here's the footage."
Under the flickering yellow NC News banner, a fractured camera feed zoomed in.
Steel beasts in black-and-red Arasaka combat livery rampaged across the streets, clashing violently with forces in urban-camouflage exosuits.
The first faction included black-suited bodyguards, SP protection agents, Konpeki security, SAT exoskeleton troopers, cyber ninjas, and a few power-armor operators—gear varied, affiliations mixed.
The second faction—uniform, standardized equipment: EXO exoskeletons, AST combat mechs, Oni 4-B heavy suits, standard-issue power armor, MDL smart grenade launchers, EPM-3 plasma rifles, EM1 laser rifles—all unmistakably Arasaka tech.
No doubt about it—this was an Arasaka civil war.
One side caught off guard. The other, long prepared.
The footage ended abruptly as the camera melted away in the blast.
How ironic—both sides screaming "For Arasaka!" yet who among them would survive Konpeki Plaza's fall?
"Arasaka's military tech sure has come a long way..." a low voice mused. "No wonder you've been so damn weak where it matters—on the ground."
Rogue—clad in a commander-grade EXO frame—shook her head, turning toward the unwelcome guest approaching.
Click. Clack.
"A temporary setback, nothing more."
The man dismissed his aides and approached, adjusting the golden Militech pin on his lapel. "Didn't think Yorinobu Arasaka could actually convince you, the legendary queen of Afterlife. Seems victory will soon be ours."
Rogue smirked faintly.
"We'll see."
The Militech representative merely shrugged, smiling as he extended a hand. "Then, Miss Rogue Amendias—here's to our partnership."
They shook hands briefly and stepped toward the railing. The roaring explosions below flickered in the darkness, reflecting off their faces—united in word, divided in heart.
There, in the middle of the residential compound, stood the Russell Estate.
The home of Vela Adelheid Russell.
Yorinobu's lust for her latest experimental results and data was no secret. His probing and infiltration attempts had never ceased—and clearly, they had failed. Covert ops had become open warfare.
The district's Security Bureau units, Arasaka Security Division squads stationed nearby, and the cyber ninja corps assigned to the estate had all engaged Yorinobu's assault forces.
"Yorinobu's pulling half of Arasaka's eyes to Konpeki and the Coast. We've got one shot. So—your people first, or mine?" Rogue asked, her crimson eyes glinting as she reached for her phone. "Dexter, since you decided to crawl back into the game, let's see your crew—"
Before she could finish, the Militech rep stopped her.
"Consider this a gesture of good faith. To celebrate our... fruitful collaboration since 2023." His iris flashed red. "Commence operation. Advance."
...
Meanwhile—Arasaka Coastal District, docks.
A short but fierce battle involving nearly a thousand combatants had ended abruptly, undone by treachery from within.
Drones and mechs lay burning, plumes of smoke spiraling skyward.
Across the loading yard, wreckage littered the ground—ruined AI turrets, light transports, and the shattered remains of fixed emplacements. Flames spread through pools of spilled fuel and cargo crates, explosions and electrical bursts echoing intermittently.
Bodies lay strewn in every direction—flesh wrapped in steel, steel wrapped in flesh—charred, leaking oil and blood, the air thick with a nauseating stench.
"Is this it?"
In front of a warehouse marked [Sakuradite] on the electronic gate display, a blood-soaked ASDF colonel limped forward, helmet in hand, his katana hanging from his waist. He took a pull from his MaxDoc inhaler, panting heavily as he addressed the local contact.
Receiving confirmation, he turned to his comms officer. "Contact Lord Yorinobu. Mission complete. Tell him to send retrieval immediately." He glanced toward City Center—toward the towering shadow of Arasaka Tower. "The sooner, the better."